Scapin 1860 - 1862

Editor: Here we have Honoré Daumier's painting, "Scapin." The dark, almost murky, coloration makes it feel secretive, like we're glimpsing a forbidden moment. What's your take on the drama unfolding here? Curator: For me, it’s the theatricality. Daumier's work feels like a captured stage performance, and that heightened emotion reminds me of commedia dell'arte. The gesticulating hands, the exaggerated expressions...it's all a delicious caricature of life. Editor: So, you see humor? I was so caught up in the dark palette, I missed that. Curator: Precisely! The man on the left seems desperate or frightened, while the one on the right appears to be smirking. The contrasts makes me wonder about the character’s relationship. What do you think it tells us about how Daumier viewed society? Editor: That the world is a stage, maybe? I'll never look at Daumier the same way again.